The Chronicles of Lieutenant Taz Lopez: Book One
by my-beautiful-idiot
Summary: Long ago, Taz was a shy young city girl. Then, everything changed when the robots attacked. Years passed, and soon Taz's life is thrown into a whirlwind of adventure, along with the brave Starship Ranger, Up. Although her potential is promising, Taz has a lot to learn before she's ready to save anyone. But Up believes Taz can save the world.
1. Quince

Growing up, my grandmother, mi abuela, had always had a certain brazen disregard of rules and society, a trait that I'd always idolized her for. Her refusal to change her opinion for others, along with her strong contentment in ignoring orders from authority, was the driving force that convinced my mother not to cancel my Quineanera, despite newspapers deeming it unsafe to travel in the city by nighttime. But still, we had the event, and everyone who was invited attended. No robot attacks were going to ruin my night.

I'd talked with my abuela earlier that day. I was nervous about having my Quinceanera while it was so unsafe in the streets. But she shook her head, and said to me, "_Taz_," (She insisted on calling me Taz, when I preferred my full name, Tasia. But I didn't correct her.) "_I grew up in a time when society was changing, and anybody would have been thrilled to get the chance to push me down. But I knew that if I ever wanted to get back up, I'd have to remain tough. That's one thing you always need to be. You can be pretty, and popular, and wealthy, but if you don't remain tough, you'll always get pushed down."_

I didn't see what that had to do with robots, but it shut me up just the same. And, when my friends and family arrived for the celebrations, I thought, _They made it here for me, even though it's not safe. That's tough._ And I looked at my abuela and she smiled at me, so I knew she was thinking the same.

The party was kicked off to a great success, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was cheerful and optimistic. But, my papa, being the protective one, had called for a couple of Rangers to be there, just in case. Still, the rangers, Up and Garrot, were welcomed into the party, and celebrated with us. Whenever there was a noise, like a beating in the air conditioning or a gust of wind from outside, the rangers would look at each other and excuse themselves to assess the problem, and return seamlessly once they'd seen to it. But they were good additions to the crowd just the same.

Eventually, at that one point in the evening when it seemed appropriate for someone to make a speech, my papa stood and raised a glass towards the guests. "Thank you," he said, " For coming here, despite the warning, to celebrate my daughter's fifteenth. It means so much—" His voice was cut off by a rumbling sound ripped through the ceiling. He cleared his throat, and waited for the murmuring of the crowd to die down, and continued, "It means so much to my—" Again the rumbling erupted from the ceiling. Only this time, when he cleared his throat, the murmurs didn't die down. They got louder and louder. My papa looked to the ceiling, and, to his horror, and the horror of the rest of us, there it was: a circular saw, protruding from the ceiling tiles.

We didn't scream at first. We stared in shock as the ceiling broke apart in several places, raining debris onto us. We were silent as the first robot began to descend unto us. Then, as the robot clicked it's saw into action and began to tear through the innocent skin of my brave father—That was when we melted into chaos. Suddenly, the sophisticated celebration became a free-for-all. Everyone was scurrying back and forth, trying to make something of an escape. I don't know why I never ran for the front door. I learned later that they were all blocked by other robots, and anyone who tried to exit was sliced in half on the spot. But somehow, I made it to a wall. I crouched down behind a pile of chairs, waiting for the robots to find me. I knew I only had a matter of time. But I sat there for a few moments, and all I could do was listen to the screams of my friends and family, trying to distinguish who was getting killed at what time.

I didn't cry, even when I managed to pick out one voice in the crowd. My abuela. She called out my name, (Taz, not Tasia) followed by something else inaudible. But then, even that was cut off by a whirring saw. My eyes were shut tight. I just had to wait for it to be over. And, suddenly, I thought it was. I felt someone pick me up and take me away from my hiding spot. I knew it wasn't a robot, though. It was warm, not cold like metal. I opened my eyes, and saw Agent Up, carrying me along the wall.

"Hang in there, Miss Tasia," he said. I looked around to see where he was headed, and I saw it: A hole in the bottom of a wall, not twenty feet from where I was hiding. It was just big enough for someone to crawl through.

In no time, he had me through that passage and into the dark corridor that was on the other side. I don't know why the lights were off. Perhaps the robots had taken out the lighting. He set me down, and pointed down the hallway.

"Run! I'll catch up to you." I didn't question it, I just followed his instructions. I rounded a corner, expecting to find another stretch of emptiness, but my stomach dropped to my knees as I found myself staring down the laser fun of another attacking robot.

I backed up, as it progressed towards me. Somehow, in the adrenaline of the moment, I could think of only one thing to do. I raised a fist, and pounded the gun with all my might. It flew clean off the robot's arm. I didn't even notice the stinging in my hand, for, at that moment, Up dashed next to me, and took out the rest of the robot with a blow of his own. The metal thing crashed to the ground, out of service for good.

"Come on, Miss Tasia!" He said, leading me further down the hallway.

I almost followed him, but something felt wrong.

"We need to go back and help the others, Up!" I said, starting back the way we came. But he grabbed my arm, and pulled me along after him. He was very strong.

"Miss Tasia, your father hired me with the mission to protect you. It's my job, and, as a starship ranger, I need to get my job done."

"But Up—" I tried to wrench my arm free, but it was no use. His grip was firm.

"Come on," He scooped me into his arms again, no doubt that I'd have kept struggling to get away from him, and continued to run down the corridor. "We'll need to find a safe spot."

"Why? Aren't we safe now? The robots are back there."

He shook his head and kept running. "The thing about robots is that they also get their job done. And, if their job was to kill everyone in that party, then they'll be hunting us down next." He ran through a doorway and up a flight of stairs. "I'm almost sure of it. We need a safe spot for me to fight from. "At last, he stopped. We'd reached the rooftop. He set me down by some boxes, and turned to face the door. "You'll be safe as long as I have good visibility, and—"

"I'm going to help you," I said, standing and looking around for something to use as a weapon. I found a long plank of wood, and picked it up. I bounced it around in my hand, testing the weight. Not to heavy. Good enough.

"Miss Tasia, I can't allow you to—" But his words were cut off again. The door to the rooftop burst open. The robots had arrived.


	2. On The Rooftop

It was as if all hell had broken loose for a second time. The automatons swarmed out, so fast I couldn't dream of fighting them off. Still, knowing that unless I tried, I was a goner, I raised the plank and swung around. I immediately made my attempt at taking down a single target. Taking the plank like a sword, I swung hard at the neck piece of an attacking robot. It clanked hard into the metal, and made a visible dent in the outer layer. The force also managed to shatter my only weapon in half. More like a spear now, I drew it back, and thrust it directly into it. Sparks shot out as The robot flung back and crashed to the ground with a thud.

I turned to Up, my fear dampened by the adrenaline of my first kill. But the second I laid eyes on him, my confidence was turned into awe. Up was standing firm, exactly where he was at the start of the attack, his only weapon being his zapper, and he was using it to its full extent. He'd blast apart one robot while simultaneously bludgeoning two more with the ends of it. Metal bodies were falling left and right. He'd easily defeated several machines in the time it took for me to get one.

I couldn't gawk at his fighting for more than a moment, before I found myself brought back into the battle. But it was clear that he didn't need the help. I kept on at my sorry pace, while Up brought down an army. After what seemed like hours, but was probably less than a minute, there seemed to be a pause. No more robots were coming. It was over. But I looked around us at all the robots on the rooftop—And to my surprise, there really weren't that many. Had I only imagined the swarms of robots? Or had the heat of the moment made the battle more than it was?

I had no time to think on it, because the moment we were safe, Up turned to me. "Any injuries?" He asked.

"No," I answered, without giving myself time to think on it. As soon as the word left my mouth, I noticed a trickling of blood down from my shoulder, and a pain in the back of my head. But I didn't want to seem weak. Either way, he was turned away from me, talking into his radio. When he was done, he spoke to me again.

"Come on," he said, leading back towards the stairwell. "We'll be safer in there."

"We're going back to save the others?" I asked hopefully.

"We barely fought off those guys. There'll be more down there. At least inside, robots in the streets won't be drawn into the fight."

I raised an eyebrow. "So we're being cowardly, then? We're hiding, when we could be helping the others."

"We are NOT being cowardly, Miss Tasia. We are being smart." I followed him inside, still protesting the plan.

"My family is down there, Starship Ranger. I'm going to do what I can to help, _God dammit_!" I don't know why I called him by his job title. It seemed like a pretty daring move at the moment, though. And it got him to pay a slight bit more attention to my point.

"You've done enough by fighting up there. Now be smart, and stop your screaming, or you'll attract even more robots!"

We were walking down a hallway now, further from where my friends and family were getting ruthlessly murdered, and, though I could see how viable his point was, I refused to back down.

"Listen here, Starship Ranger! The people I love are dying down there. I'm not going to sit around and let it happen!" I wrenched the blaster from his hands, and took off running back down the hallway, blood pounding in my ears, heart racing with fury, refusing to take note of Up's cries of protest. And, for a heartbeat, I thought I might do it. I might save everyone. I might be a hero. But that all melted away in the blink of an eye.

Just as I approached the turn in the hallway, a mechanical whirring sound ripped through the corridor. A brand new hoard of blood-spattered automatons came tearing towards me. They weren't slow and lumbering like the usual attack droids, or big and boxy like the ones we faced on the roof. They were all speed. For quick killing. I turned on heel, and ran back towards Up, whose face was twisted in a combination of anger, frustration, and determination. As soon as I made it to him, he took of running next to me. Somehow, the blaster ended back in his hands, because he was shooting behind at the robots, which were quickly catching up to us.

Though my legs were screaming with the effort to keep going, my mind found a clear patch in the melee. Suddenly, I wasn't thinking of fleeing, I was thinking of what happens afterwards. Up had already said that the chance of any survivors was slim. But there was still a chance. However, the new question pressed in my mind. Would it be better if some of them survived? It would be painful to be all alone, but to see my friends and family suffer from the trauma… I knew it would be unbearable. I found myself at war in my mind. Which is worse, to suffer alone, or to watch loved ones suffer as well? The question weighed in my mind, grinding into my brain and refusing to let go, until I couldn't bear it anymore.

My concentration shattered, my foot met with a piece of rubble that had fallen from the now-shaking walls of the collapsing building. I found myself falling down, so much further than the mere floor beneath my feet. Still, I was losing, fallen on my face while trying to flee. My head was spinning with the force of it, so that I couldn't see for a moment. The truth crept in on me in that blind instant. The robots would get me. It was over. No use in trying to survive anymore.

And, for a moment, I almost let that happen.

But Up was beside me in an instant. "You need to get up, Miss Tasia!" He called. "Come on."

He was pulling at my arm. I opened my eyes, and saw his face, looking from me, to the robots, but never attempting to escape for himself.

"Come on, Tasia. You need to get back up! We need to run! Get back up!"

With one final tug on my arm, I allowed him to drag me to my feet. The room was still spinning, but it didn't matter. He'd picked me back up again, and was sprinting through the hallways. I could just barely see through my heavy eyelids, and the sounds were blurring in my ears. I was just hardly aware of a hot, dripping feeling running down the back of my neck.

The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was Up, his eyes locked onto an unseen target, and the sound of a collapsing building rippling through the air.


	3. The Aftermath

I opened my eyes, and found myself staring into what looked like the sun. But it was night time. How can the sun shine at night? I blinked, and the sun became a floodlight, the world swirling into view around me. I sat up a bit, and looked around myself, which I found to be atop another building. Next to me lay a small first aid kit, with its contents sorted out around it. My head throbbed, and, as if by cue, I noticed a small bottle of water next to the first aid kit, and I drank it immediately, feeling better once the cool liquid touched my parched lips. I turned around, and saw the Starship Ranger, standing under the light, back turned away from me, talking into a radio.

"Pick up from 219/a1, rooftop. Approximately 200 feet from the site of the attack." The radio jabbered back, and he continued, "Expect minimal survivors, about 10 or so, I'd say." Again, the person on the other side replied something inaudible. "Garrot was down there. No doubt he managed to get someone out alive."

I wanted to hear more, but he signed off and put the radio away. He stayed facing away from me a while, watching the horizon. From where I lay, I could just make out the roofs of neighboring buildings, but my own position was hard to tell. I tried to stand up, but the world swirled beneath me, and I plopped back down onto the ground. This got his attention, and, with a start, he rushed back to me.

"Stay down," he ordered. "You lost a lot of blood."

I shook my head. "What you said on the radio…"

"Hmm?"

"You said there would be survivors."

He nodded briefly. "Yup."

"You told me there wasn't a chance of that." He passed me the water bottle again, and I take another sip.

"I lied," he said simply, standing back up and turning away again.

"Why'd you do that? We could have helped."

Up was quiet for a moment, then he sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're fifteen. Too young to understand."

New anger flared inside of me. "I'm smart. I'm mature. I just watched my family get slaughtered before my eyes, and you have the _gall_ to dare and try to treat me like nothing more than a child?" I could almost laugh at his absurdity. "Listen here, Starship Ranger, I'm not some toddler who can't cope with reality."

Again, he was quiet for a time. I almost repeated what I'd said earlier, but he replied. "My mission was to protect you," He explained. "That's what I did. Garrot's mission was to ensure the safety of rest of the civilians. That's what he was doing. And I'm sure he saved somebody. He's a good soldier."

I processed this. "He had to protect everyone. You only had to protect me… What makes me so special?"

He was smiling a little when he turned around to answer me. "Your party."

I blushed._ Of course. _Leave it to my father to give me a gift like that. My own personal body guard for the party. I ignored the fact that my father was probably dead now, and focused on the fact that everyone thought I wasn't strong enough to get out on my own. That I needed a person specifically to protect me, when the rest of them shared one shield. I shook my head again, in an attempt to clear it. It didn't work.

It made me even angrier with myself. And, because he was there, I was angry with the Starship Ranger as well. "If you're a Starship Ranger, shouldn't you be on a starship?"

"You've got to start on Earth, then work your way—"

"What's your name, anyways?"

He looked a little puzzled by the question. "Um… Up."

"Yes, yes, but is that your first name? Or your last name? What?"

He laughed. "It's—"

I continued to speak. I wasn't in the mood to listen yet. "It's not even a name. It's a word. 'Up.' The hell kind of name is that?"

"Well you can talk, with a name like 'Tasia'—"

I cut him off. Something reawakened inside of me. "Call me Taz."

"Taz?"

I nodded. "I've always liked it better than 'Tasia.' Too formal. 'Taz' is good."

"Fine, then, Taz." He rolled the name around on his tongue, and the way he said it made me crack a smile.

We were both quiet for a moment, and I asked, "What happens now, then?"

"A squad will come to get you. You should be safe here until then. It'll only be about ten minutes." For the first time, I noticed that he was packing up the first aid kit.

"You're going?"

He nodded. "You're safe now. But you'll need to rest. Those robots were tough, especially for the first time you ever came in combat with them. I need to go down and assess the situation down at the attack site."

"What about the robots?"

"That building is on fire. They're all scattered. You'll be safe here. Just drink that water and don't over-exert yourself." Then he turned towards the stairwell, and made to leave.

But I wouldn't have it. How dare he just leave? I heaved myself after him, "I'm okay. The robots weren't too bad." My footing wasn't too sure, and my head began to swim as soon as I stood. Up turned back to me and caught me by the arm, and lowered me back to the ground.

"They tried to string you up and beat you like a piñata, all while you were unconscious," he said, with something like a laugh, setting me back down again. The sky was turning slightly lighter, the promise of sunrise. But the day was still a while off.

"But they didn't. I can come with you. See it for myself." I had to see what happened. See the damage for myself.

But Up was stubborn. "You are to wait for the rescue squad here. That's an order." He turned away again.

Once more, I struggled up, trying to seem stronger than I felt. "Wherever you're going, Starship Ranger, I'm coming, too."

He looked me in the eye, exasperated and slightly amused by my persistence. "You. Nearly. Died. You can hardly walk. And you aren't trained. You'll be safe up here. The rescue squad will be here any minute. Now stay, Taz."

He just had to call me Taz. I know I told him to, but I hadn't expected what it would feel like for someone other than mi abuela to call me by that name. It had always been hers. But now it was everyone's. I sighed, and sat down and curled my legs under me.

"Fine. I'll stay here." And, as he walked away, I called after him, "But If I die up here, it's on your hands!"

I thought I could hear him laughing on his way down the stairs.


	4. The Last Time

Just as he promised, the rescue squad arrived in mere moments after Up had gone. A couple of days later, I was reunited with what was left of my family. Up was wrong on that point—there were quite a few survivors of the attack. Still, the losses were great, and, when I saw my mother for the first time after that attack, and collapsed into her arms, I was weeping both at the joy of seeing her alive, and at the pain that there were others who weren't quite alive.

But my fragment of a family kept on going. And, because nobody wanted a repeat of the attack at my Quinceanera, we decided to move away from the city. The suburbs were much safer, and they were still close to the attractions of city life. So, two weeks after the initial attack, I found myself sitting outside of a real estate office while my mother attended a meeting inside, trying to find the best out-of-city experience for my family. It wasn't going to be a long meeting, but I'd brought a book to read, anyways. I could have read the newspapers, but, they were all saying the same things, "Today is the Anniversary of God's Death," and talking about how life is different now that their God is dead, and other boring things. I was too young to remember God ever being alive, anyhow.

So, I sat, reading my book, trying to immerse myself in the fantasy worlds that were so much more ideal than the reality one, when, as if out of thin air, something hard and wet collided with my hand, and sent my book spinning down the sidewalk. I looked to see who threw the dirt clod, but I didn't have to. I knew it was them. Their names were lost to me. At one point, I suppose, they had names, but, now, whenever I saw them, I had only time to think "_Run. Run away now_," No room for names. They didn't need names, anyways, to be terrifying. Just four nameless faces, attached to harsh words and strong arms, perfect for throwing dirt. And they were good at what they did. They'd been my tormentors for years, living in the same building that I did. Always managing to make my life a living hell, all before I even left for school. I'm not sure if they were friends, or related in some way, but they were all bound by one thing: a love for picking on the innocent.

I scrambled down for my book, and managed to pick it up and dust it off before another wad of dirt was slung into my face. It astounded me how precise their aim was, even from across the street. I turned my head as I brushed the dirt off my cheek. Ignoring the stinging, I sit down without looking back at them. I'd always been told, "Just ignore them. They'll go away." I was determined to see that happen, but it seemed that ignoring them only motivated them further, for another ball of mud was soon flung at me, this time missing, hitting the wall behind my head. I buried my nose further in the book, eyes stinging with tears, not out of fear or sadness, but by the sheer frustration that I was nothing more than a target to them. I peaked up, to see if they were going to attack again, but, this time, there was an adult with them, who ushered the four of them inside the building for one reason or another. Even though I didn't know why, I thanked the long dead God that they'd gone.

I tried to get back to reading, but I wanted to be prepared, in case they were to come back. So I set down my book, and began just watching the streets. There were all sorts of people in the city, mostly human, but one or two extraterrestrial. Mostly civilians, but one or two officers or rangers. Starship Rangers were an easy sight in the city, always hired by the police force to ensure further safety, more than what they can give. Not that the police officers weren't capable, they just weren't trained to deal with the main threat: robots. But the police and the rangers got along well. I looked to see evidence of that, a police officer shaking the hand of a Starship Ranger, as they both exited a building on the other side of the road. The Ranger turned away, and crossed to my side of the street. He was getting closer now, and I could see his face. I don't know why I was so shocked to see him, after all, he was stationed in the city, but, as Private Up walked towards me, I found an excited beat in my chest.

I was going to call out to him, but he'd beaten me to it. "Well look who it is!" He called out merrily. "Taz!" He waved as he approached me. I didn't realize he'd had a southern accent before. It must have been the adrenaline keeping me from noticing it.

"Hola, Up," I said, growing less upset at seeing a friendly face.

"I'm glad to see you're doing well," he said, "How have things been?"

He meant after the attack. I nodded. "We get on. It's hard, but we're thankful to be alive."

He ran his fingers through his hair, which was light brown, almost blond. "I'm glad to hear it." I smiled, and he continued, noticing something. "You've got something on your face. Right there." He pointed to where I was struck by the mud.

"Oh, that," I said as I ducked my head and attempted to clean it all off.

But he noticed something was wrong, the ever vigilant Starship Ranger. "Hey," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I replied. "Just some neighborhood kids. No big deal." Of course, just my luck that, right then, the four of them come back outside. I could hear their rowdy voices even over the bustle of the city.

Up looked over at them. "Those guys picking on you?" I didn't want to speak, so I just shook my head again. "Well, look here," he said, "People like them are just bullies. Cowards. You show them just once that you're tougher than you seem, and they'll go away."

"I can't show them anything," I said, looking away again. "I'm too… little. I'm not strong enough."

"What?" he said, standing back up to his full height. "What happened to the Taz that fought off robots, even after losing a heapload of blood? Hmm? It doesn't matter if you're a bit small for your age, if you can be as brave as you were the day I met you, then you can do anything."

I looked back at my tormentors. They were looking at the ground, picking up mud, rolling it in their fists. Up looked at them, too, and I could tell he was angered by it. Something in him clicked on, and it reminded me of the vigor he had on that rooftop. He turned back to me.

"Listen, Taz. Don't you let those bullies get the best of you. Show them who's boss!"

I shook my head. "How do you suppose I do that?"

In the next instant, my already high respect for Up skyrocketed through the roof, as he shot his hand out to catch the dirt clod that was being thrown at his back. His fist closed around it, without even looking at it. It crumbled in his hand, and sifted to the ground.

"Miss Tasia," he said, "Get on my back. This is how we show them whose boss."

I didn't hesitate one moment, because this was Up, my friend, Up, the man who saved my life, the toughest fighter I'd ever seen. I hopped right up, and he hoisted me onto his back. The signal to walk across the street had just blinked on, which was very good timing, indeed, for the moment I was on his back, he sprinted off across the street after them and, for some reason, I decided it was a good idea to let out a battle cry. So I did.

As we approached them, the harsh expression on their faces melted away into shock and fear. Not stopping, Up and I barreled towards them. They dropped their weapons of dirt and rocks, and took off running, scared out of their minds. They ran down the street and turned on an alleyway. I expected Up to stop, but he just kept right on after them, not caring about the attention we may or may not have gotten from the others on the street. I didn't notice. I only noticed the fact that we were winning. Up was literally leading me to victory against my greatest enemies. At the end of the alley was a set of dumpsters, and I knew what was going to happen as the bullies neared it. Up kept on running, and, it became clear to both the bullies and to us, that the only way out was ahead—into the dumpsters. So that's where they went. All four of them, seemingly so tough, jumped voluntarily into the dumpsters, and the lid clattered closed with a bang. It was over. We had won.

With a hoot of victory, Up dropped my from his back. "That'll show 'em!"

I laughed with him. "As long as you're around, they won't bother me ever again!"

Up suddenly sighed, his enthusiasm faded slightly, and looked back up the alleyway. "Actually, Taz, that won't be the case." He began to walk back, so I followed him.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, heart sinking.

"I'm leaving the city. I've been selected for a mission in space. A real Starship mission for a real Starship Ranger." He was beaming at the news.

It made me grin. "Congratulations, Private Up." I playfully saluted him.

He saluted back with a laugh. "You'll have to manage on your own from now on. Is that okay?" he asked, concernedly.

I nodded my head. "Si. I'll manage." And, somehow, I figured that was the truth.


	5. The Academy

That was the last time I saw Up for years. But I had other things on my mind. I was a high school student, struggling to balance my extracurricular activities with my education. This proved to be a little difficult, considering that I had a clear knack for physical sports, and a clear deficiency in understanding mathematics. But, it was my talent at winning the school trophies that got my math grades nullified so I could continue to compete for the school.

Of course, my mother disapproved completely. I'd changed so much in the last four years. I had all new friends than before, new hobbies, a new attitude. It didn't hurt that everyone called me "Taz," now. My mother, of course, disapproved completely, claiming that a proper young lady needs a proper name, none of this "Taz" business. It was also this that had her so against my applying to the Starship Ranger Academy. She said it would be the biggest mistake of my life, becoming a Starship Ranger. It would disgrace the family, she said. My mother always blamed the Starship Rangers for the disaster at my Quince. She claimed that if the Rangers had done their job correctly, the robots would have never gotten inside the building.

So, naturally, when my letter came from the Academy, she stormed out of the room with a huff. I smiled to myself, though. I had, in my hands, the key to my future, one way or another. I'd been told that it was hard to make it into the Academy, especially your first year applying. I was all prepared for the worst when I opened the envelope.

_To Miss Tasia Lopez,_

_We at the Starship Ranger Academy have successfully received your application. Our admissions board has reviewed it along with the other applicants, and numerous decisions were made as far as who we can admit. The Academy has limited space, and, requiring only the hopefuls with the most potential to be admitted, most of those who apply are turned down their first year. With you, however, that is not the case._

_The application you sent us was outstanding. Your essay, in particular, wowed our admissions board. Your recollection of a first-hand experience with a robot attack, linked to the strength it takes to carry on, not only shows that you are a tough individual, but your writing technique and style proves you to be a scholarly one as well. Your letters of recommendation were astounding, as well. The police chief of your town seems to be thrilled with your decision to become a Starship Ranger, as stated in his letter. (However, he also mentioned you'd make an outstanding officer, if you should change your mind.) Your school sports coaches were all very impressed with your work and ambitions. All in all, you seem like an ideal person to have at the Starship Ranger Academy. _

_In fact, when reviewing all our application, one of our admissions board members requested you, by name, for immediate admission, even before the process of selection began. And he was honored in his appeal._

_It is with great pleasure that we accept you to attend the Starship Ranger Academy this fall. We look forward to having you here._

_ Sincerely, _

_ The Starship Ranger Academy Admissions Board._

"What do you think you're doing?" Mi madre stormed back into the room, hands on her hips, yelling at me in Spanish.

I fixed a stern look to match hers, and replied, "I am reading my—"

She cut me off. "You want to be a Starship Ranger, eh? Cowardly running away from the hardships of Earth?"

"No, Mama," I say, quieter, en espanol this time. "It isn't like that at all."

"And, what if you turn out not to like it, hmm?" She said, coming closer. "What would you do then? How can you support a family, meet a man, get married? That's every girl's dream—"

It was my turn to interrupt. "I'm not every girl, Mama." I stood up, and held out the acceptance letter, switching back to English. "I'm going to be a Starship Ranger."

My mind was made up, but she fought. My mother fought with me every second until the day I was to leave. She begged, pleaded with me to stay, to get a job at a store, pay for business school, get married to a lawyer and live happily ever after. It was the least I could do to give her an honest goodbye. But even when I left the house, she shouted after me what a mistake it was. And, on the train ride to the Academy, I mulled over her words. Perhaps this was a mistake. Too late now, though, for me to change my mind. However my doubts, it only took a second of being at the Academy for those doubts to fade.

It was the perfect place for me. Dedicated to molding rough edges into the perfect Starship Rangers. I easily took to the schedule, and, more or less, took the place by storm. It was the end of my second week, I was doing drills on the field with my squad, when I heard my name called out.

"Private Taz!" Captain Shipton called me from the side. He wasn't a Captain of anything, however. It was the title they gave to worthy Rangers who wanted to come back to train at the Academy. We were told on day one that our mentors were to be referred to as Captains, dead God forbid any of us forget that.

Hearing my name, I paused from where I was, dodging between tires, and stepped aside, jogging up to him. I could feel my pony tale tapped in the sweat from the back of my neck, but, even the exhaustion was exhilarating. As I neared the Captain, I noticed that there was another man standing next to him. I couldn't help but to grin slightly, as I stood at attention in front of the esteemed Captain Shipton, and another man, who was introduced at orientation as Captain Up.

"Yes, sir?" I said.

"Captain Up wishes to speak with you, Private." Captain Shipton said. "Do not think this excuses you from daily training."

"No sir." I replied.

Shipton went back to yelling commands, and for a moment, Captain Up and I stood there, not sure what to say. After all, we met in strange circumstances, and, after that our only interaction was even stranger. But now here we were, Captain and trainee, standing at the Academy.

"Captain Up," I said after a moment. "You look taller." Because it was true.

He smirked. "You don't." Which was also true.

That was enough to break the tension, and soon, he wasn't just Captain Up, one of the trainers at the Starship Ranger Academy, but he was Up, the man who saved my life, helped me punish my neighborhood bullies, and inspired me to follow in the same path as him, the path to become a Starship Ranger.

"Anyways," Up said, "I just wanted to welcome you to the Academy. When I saw your application had come in, I was really excited. Can't say it was a rurprise, but it was good to see."

I raised an eyebrow. "You were so sure I'd apply then?"

He grinned. "I can tell a good Ranger when I see one."

"_Gracias,_" I replied, earnestly. Then, another thought occurred to me. "On my acceptance letter, it said a member of the board requested me for immediate admittance. Would you happen to know who that was?"

"Eh," he said, "Just some guy."

"Well, thank you for that, anyways." I squinted into the sunlight. The sun was going down, and everything was orange now. "May I ask something, Captain?" I took care not to forget his position.

"Permission granted," he said with a nod, which said he wouldn't forget his position either.

"Last time I saw you, you were on your way to a space mission, the thing that every ranger aspires to."

"That is… accurate." He wasn't sure where I was going with this.

"So," I said, nervously at what I might say, "Why are you back here on Earth?"

My fears came true. I'd clearly struck a nerve, and a wall came down on the conversation. Up's eyes were stony and cold when he replied, "The G.L.E.E. decided I was better suited to training new recruits."

"I'm not so much a fool," I said quietly, "To believe every word you say."

He stared me down again, and said, with all the authority that he had, "Get back to training, girl." And, with that, he slunk back off again, back straight, jaw set. And I decided it would be better off to know that he was a Captain in the Galactic League training center, almost ten years my senior, who knew quite a lot more about life and loss than me. Maybe he was less of a friend than I suspected.

I nodded my head and got back to the training course, where I quickly regained the time I'd lost talking with Captain Up.


	6. Revelation

Ten o' clock. The hallways were usually empty, as everyone was in their dormitories by then. In many ways, the Academy was like a military training base, but in others, it was like a regular college. For example, there was no bed time. However, the day's strenuous schedule of classes and training usually had everyone exhausted enough to stay in at night. So, naturally, the gym was all but deserted by the time I'd get there. Night workouts were a usual thing for me by then, and I was used to being alone in the gym, being one with the workout. Some other trainees accused me of "cheating," with my extra excursive, but they were usually silenced when one of the Captains reminded them that the gym was free to use at any time, and it was a choice whether or not to use it in spare time.

And, more often than not, I was the only one who bothered to use it in my spare time. So, when I heard the gym door open between the rumbles of the treadmill, I was shocked not only when another person walked in for a little late-night working-out, but that that person was Captain Up. He ignored me, and went straight to the weights, diving right in to his routine. I finished my run, and moved to the bars. For a few minutes we worked out silence, cleverly ignoring each other. But I was never used to letting silence speak for words.

"_Pues… Hola_," I said, if not a bit awkwardly.

He nodded in my direction, his only greeting a grunt. After a moment, however, he said something else. "You've been doing well in training, Lopez."

"Thank you," I said between pull ups. "I suppose I just try hard."

"Really, though," he continued, taking a breath out of his workout to hold a conversation. "You show a lot of potential."

"Potential?" I repeated, feeling more comfortable talking to him. "I'm the top of my class, nobody can lay a finger on me in combat training, and all I have is _potential?_"

He laughed, "Well what else do you want me to say? I can't say you're perfect—You've only been here a couple of months!"

"Test me, then," I commanded, dropping down from the bar. "See what I can do."

Up raised an eyebrow, and walked up to the bar. He fixed me with a look, and then hopped up onto it. He swung himself around it using his own force, until he had stopped himself on the top of it, in a vertical handstand. He held it for longer than seemed necessary to make his point, swirled around in a circle, and then dropped back down.

"Took me years to get that one right," he said contently.

"Didn't seem that hard." That was an obvious lie. It was quite a stunt.

He noticed the challenge in my voice. "Go on, then," he ordered.

I leapt onto the bar as he'd done, and began to attempt to swing myself as he had just demonstrated. I managed to get myself nearly vertical, and held myself in an awkward sort of stasis for a couple heartbeats, before losing my grip and flopping onto the floor at his feet.

He laughed with me a moment, and helped me to my feet. "Potential," he repeated.

I huffed again, and went back to the bars, "We never do exercises like that in training."

"Well," he replied. "That's because you don't have me as a training captain."

"You should work on that."

He laughed again, and turned back to his weights. "Get back to your work, Lopez."

Sarcastically, I replied, "Don't tell me what to do Up—I would degrade you by calling your last name, too, but I'm not sure what 'Up' is, anyways, so…"

He picked up the weight, and continued with his business. "That _is _my last name."

_Ah._ "So what's your first name?"

Without missing a beat, he answered, "'Captain.'"

So this was the game. "Oh, ha, _muy gracioso_. Really, though," I pressed. " What's your first name?"

He gave a short laugh. "I am not telling you."

"_Por que_?"

"Pork-ay?" He replied.

"It's Spanish. Means Why?"

"Because I said so," he replied with a snort, "that's why."

I taunted, "Embarrassed, are we?"

He didn't answer right away, searching for the correct reply. He settled on, "Quiet, you."

"Fine, then, keep it a secret. Just keep in mind: I had to grow up as 'Tasia.'" I knew better than to tease someone about their name, especially a Captain of the Academy. "But there is one thing you can tell me."

"And that is?"

I took a deep breath. "A few weeks ago, I asked you a question when you talked to me during afternoon training. And I'm asking it again. Why are you here?"

"To train future—"

"No, on this planet? Every Starship Ranger aspires to work in outer space. And you made it there. So why did the league send you back?"

Up was quiet for a long time. I thought I might have angered him again, the last thing I wanted to do, after how well we'd just been getting along. However, his voice was calm when he spoke, "It starts with a 'B.'"

"Eh… Que?"

"My first name," he explained. "It starts with a 'B.'"

_So that's how it's going to be._ "Oh. You're going to make me guess, aren't you?"

His back was to me, but I could a smirk hear in his voice when he said, "That's the general idea, yes."

_Fine, then. I'll play your game. _"B… Brian?"

"Now think, Lopez. Why would I be embarrassed about a name like that? That's a perfectly normal name."

"Bernie?"

He grinned back at me. "Not quite _that_ embarrassing."

It was getting late. I figured I should get my sleep eventually, so I finished up, calling out, "I'll figure it out!"

"Good luck with that, Miss Tasia!" He replied. I ignored the jab at my formal name, and headed towards the door. But when I got there, he called out again, "Hold it."

I paused with my hand on the doorknob. I turned around, and said, "Yes, Captain?"

He stood up and walked a few feet towards me. "Why are_ you_ here?"

I looked to the side, a bit confused by his question. "Eh… to work out?"

With a laugh, he continued, "But why? Why do you work out here at night? I've seen you in here before. You do this almost every night. Why is that?"

I realized I didn't have an answer. And to say, 'because I want to,' or 'to be stronger' would do nothing but reaffirm Up's image of me: a conflicted teenager trying to be tough. So, instead, I came up with something off the top of my head.

"Just… Just in case robots try to kill us." I said with a shrug. "And I'm the only one who can kill them."

Up stood there, appraising my answer for a moment, when a sly grin crept across his face. "Good," he said. "Me too." He was quiet for a moment, and I thought he was going to dismiss me, but, instead, he gestured to another clear section of the empty gym. "So let's see if it's done you any good."

"What do you mean?" I took a step forward, hands on my hips.

He stretched out his arms and shrugged his shoulders. "Fight me, Miss Tasia."

I raised an eyebrow. There was no way Captain Up was serious. After all, he was a Captain, a real, seasoned Starship Ranger. And I was not even halfway into my first year at the Academy. He leapt up onto the mats, and gestured with his arm for me to join him. I sighed and rolled my eyes, and promptly sprung over to him. I figured if I was going to fight him, I might as well start out strong, so, as soon as I was close, I didn't wait for him to start the match; I simply barreled into him, knocking him clean over. Scrambling to my feet, I backed away and took my real fighting stance.

"So that's how we're gonna play, eh?" he said, almost to himself.

He rocked on his feet, light and quick, but still remaining stable in his position, and shot out a couple of blows that caught me hard, sent me reeling to the side. I righted myself, and used the momentum of my spin to throw out a kick at his face. He raised a hand to block by attack, and my foot crashed into his forearm. A blow like that should have sent him reeling, but he simply shook out his arm and regained his stance. I hopped back and forth, mimicking his own movements, trying to throw him off. But there would be no fooling with Captain Up. He struck out a fist out of nowhere, and it was pure luck that I was able to dodge it. I decided to take advantage of my size, and tackled his leg, rolling out from behind it, pulling it up with me. It should have sent him tumbling to the ground, but he simply twisted his body, and returned the attack with a kick around the side of my shoulder. It swung me around, and, before I could correct myself, he was upon me, and easily tackled me to the ground.

"Fine, then!" I shouted from under his weight. "You win, alright?"

He laughed, and helped me to my feet. "You fight good. But you've got to learn your opponent, fight specifically for who you're trying to beat. Not every robot is like those training droids."

I shrugged, and wiped the hair out of my face. "I could have done better," I said.

So, he took me up on that claim, and we dove right back in to another brawl. I lashed out right from the start, but he grabbed my arm, and swung me around and threw me quite nearly to the end of the mat.

"Know your opponent, Taz!" he called out.

I stood and spun around to face him again. I approached him cautiously, deciding to heed his advice by studying how he was standing, how he'd been fighting. He was all about staying put, relying on core strength to steady himself, instead of focusing on purely powerful blows. He wasn't just trying to outfight the opponent; he was trying to outlast them. I adjusted my moves to counter his, and soon we were in an intense battle. I dived and ducked around him, and tried anything I could do to get him to move his stance. But he stayed put, overall, always returning to his strong position, while I battered at him and dodged his attacks. Finally, though, I found a fault in his footing, and managed to swipe his feet out from under him. He hit the ground with a thud, a clear defeat.

We were silent for a moment, both of us surprised at my victory. But, a moment later, we both exploded into laughter. After all, we were both good sports, and we'd each known what it is to win and to lose. And his defeat was rather hilarious, the way I sprawled him out on the mat. He rose, and we shook hands, and he dismissed me. I was halfway to the door again, when I heard him speak, so quiet it was almost to himself.

"Why I'm here…" he said, his demeanor drastically changed from his fighting high a few moments ago. He was turned around, back to me, leaning on a stack of floor mats. "I've been accused of being a Sympathizer."

The Sympathizers. The group of people who'd pride themselves in sympathizing with robots, wanting to help them, claiming they have humanoid rights. They had rallies and protests, claiming that we created robots to begin with and that we should take the responsibility of letting them live their lives, instead of destroying them. They caused a lot of trouble with the rangers, trying to prove that "Robots are people, too." But they're always wrong. Robots are killers, demonic machines who can't feel anything but a deranged, synthetic hatred. The term 'Sympathizer' was the precise antithesis of the phrase 'Starship Ranger.'

"What?" I whispered, hardly believing it.

"Charges had been made against me." He paused, took a breath, and continued, almost forcedly. "I'd been working as a Ranger on that Starship for months, almost a year, when it all fell apart. There was a robot population that had snuck it's was through our systems onto the Starship. They were going to attack one sector of civilians on board. But I found their plans, and convinced my squadron leader to let me lead my troupe to them, to attack before the robots could harm anybody. We got there in time, and defeated that group in a matter of seconds. And it was glorious, Taz, a glorious battle. I shot down more robots than I could ever remember. I smashed those sick bastards apart. But… But it was a trap. More robots joined in from the back, and pressed in on my squad. We weren't prepared. Those dead-goddamn robots destroyed our squadron entirely, and just kept on hacking. In the end, less than a fifth of the entire starship made it through to the evacuation pods. It was a miracle I made it out alive. After it was done, and we were all safe on another ship, someone pointed a finger at me, for having misled the group. Said I must have known it was an attack. That I helped the robots to kill the Rangers, and that's why I wasn't killed along with them. I was charged for having been a Robot Sympathizer. And I was nearly executed for it, too. But instead, Commander Grenner convinced the jury to let me prove my loyalty to mankind, by training future rangers here."

I stood there in silence. I couldn't believe it. There's no way Up could be a Sympathizer. He fought hard to kill robots, not help them. I believed he was innocent, of course. But I said nothing. Up looked angry, and, along with anger, he looked ten times as lethal.

He turned to face me, eyes ablaze. "And that, Miss Tasia, is why I am here." He moved to the punching bag, and began a volley. "You are dismissed."

And so I left without another word. He didn't order me not to tell anyone about what he'd said. But I figured that was implied.


	7. Friends

It was midnight by the time I got back to my dorm room. There were five of us sharing an apartment-style room, but there were always more people than that in there, especially on Friday nights. I came in the door to be greeted energetically by at least ten crying girls, all huddled around the television in the little living room, sniffling as they watched their usual dramas. I rolled my eyes and went to get ready for bed.

When I emerged from the bathroom, in my simple white tank top and sweats, they were no longer crying over fictional characters, and were now all sitting around the table or on the couches, eating every sort of food imaginable, talking about who-knows-what. I was about to just turn around and go to my tiny room off to the side, when one of the girls called me over.

"So Taz," said an overly-bubbly brunette, I think her name was Jenna, "Where are you at night? You've been gone for hours."

"I was just in the gym with Captain Up—"

The girls immediately exploded into a round of "Ooh, Up! What were you doing in the gym with him? Naughty!"

I rolled my eyes and shot back at them, "Not like that, _stupida_! Up's my friend—"

"Up is your Captain," piped Elaine, a snarky blonde. "And you should treat him as such, with the respect he deserves, not as a casual friend." She had a habit of expecting everyone to share the same view of life as she has.

"Oh, come off it, Elaine," said my roommate Shareen. The girls began to poke fun at Elaine, and she shook her head and sighed.

"Sorry, I'm just frustrated right now." After the girls whined for her to explain why she was upset, Elaine continued, "My sister, February. She's only a sophomore in high school right now, but she's talking about how she wants to be a Starship Ranger, too."

"Well what's so bad about that?" I asked. "I knew that I wanted to be a ranger from the time I was fifteen."

She fixed us with a serious look. "She wants to be a science officer."

"What's so bad about that?" asked one of the girls, who was herself training to be a science officer, and trying to decide whether to be.

Elaine was almost laughing with exasperation when she replied, "Well, she's an idiot! Can't tell a zapper from a hairdryer."

The girls laughed at her sister's expense, and I joined in the conversation, pulling up a chair, and helping myself to some chips. Even though I wasn't very similar to the girls who hung out with my roommates, they were still something of friends. Growing up, I didn't have many of those, because I was different. At one end, I was a little book nerd, so the jocks didn't want to be seen with me. But, at the same time, I was the tomboy, the athletic one who was stronger than any other girl, and most of the boys, so the brainiacs didn't like me either. I was in a class all my own, and that was what isolated me the most. I knew I was unique, I was above the others and their petty pursuits, I was strong. And I was so very lonely.

But at the Academy, things were different. People idolized me for my strength, as well as my smarts. I wasn't one of the most popular people, but, seeing them in my room, listening to me talk and actually caring about what I had to say, was the first time I felt like people actually liked me.

After a while, I excused myself to bed, and went to my room. It was late now, but not so much that I couldn't read for a few minutes before going to sleep. I was still reading when Shareen entered the room.

"Hola!" she said. She didn't really speak Spanish. She was only doing that to be friendly. I smiled and said hello back. She plopped onto her bed and sighed. "I am so worn out. Captain Morgan made me to five extra laps today, literally for no reason. He just said that I had extra time and should use it. Then I nearly fell asleep in Alien Languages, and Professor Hood nearly had my head on a spike!"

I nodded. "Sounds like you had a bad day."

"Eh," she said, "Most days are like this anyways." She laughed, then looked at me. "You should cut your hair."

"What? That was random."

"Sorry," she said, moving to her desk. "I was watching Mobile's Next Top Model, and they cut this girl's hair short, because she had a really strong face."

I closed my book. "How is a face supposed to be strong?"

"Like, in the features. You've got these really great eyes and a strong jaw line, and… I don't know, just a good face. You could pull off a short look."

I ran a finger through my ponytail, and wrapped it around my wrist. "I don't know. My hair's always been long."

She shrugged. "Well, it's just something to think about." She paused, as if collecting an idea, and said. "Maybe when we graduate! When I was in high school, my brother wanted a tattoo, but my dad wouldn't allow it, except for a special occasion, so when he graduated from college, he got a little lion tattooed on his shoulder."

I shrugged, and continued twirling my hair. "I'd miss being able to do this." I slip the hair in and out of my grasp, grinning slightly as I held it up to look like a moustache.

"Well, we have time to think about it," Shareen said with a smile.

It was conversations like these that made me glad to be at the Academy, where people took notice of my face and hair, and told me I have great eyes and that I should get a haircut and tell me stories about their siblings and their lives. Nobody ever took interest in me that way before. I had real friends.

And, in combat training, I often found myself paired up with one of these friends to spar with. It only took a couple of weeks at the beginning of the school year for it to become apparent that I could seriously injure them, so, in order for me to keep from killing one of my classmates, I often went easy on them. The only times I got serious combat training that actually helped me improve was when Up was in the gym with me. From that night, he and I had met up there for training several times a week, and, even though I'd learned so much at the academy already, he began to teach me more than ever before.

I excelled even more in the physical classes, despite a certain lacking in the academics. Still, the Captains, as well as the professors and staff, noted my progression and skill. And, before long, there were rumors circulating. Rumors that I'd be recruited to go into space, as a full-fledged Starship Ranger, just halfway through my first year at the Academy. That wasn't impossible, but a very rare thing to happen. Still, rumors circulated, until I noted people whispering about them in the hallways as I approached. But I wasn't upset by this. And I liked these rumors very much.


	8. Getting Back Up

**See this chapter? This one right here? It's from Up's point of view. Now enjoy!**

* * *

It was a few weeks later, each day nearing the close of the semester, and Taz was quickly becoming more of my friend and less of my student. When professors were around, of course, we played the part of teacher and pupil, but our friendship was made clear in stolen glances, talks in between drills, and late night training sessions. More than once, though, we skipped the workout and just sat in my office watching movies on my computer. Because she was different from my other friends at the Academy. She'd known me for much longer than any of the other captains or professors, and, despite her being so young, she was much more mature. We were able to go from palling around one moment, to having a serious discussion the next. (Besides, we both loved killing robots.)

One time, when were watching a movie, she asked me about my first experience with a robot. So I paused the film, and sat back to face her, to relay the tale. I'd grown up in Mobile, Alabama, the largest, most powerful city in the Southern American States. On one day when I was walking home from school, I'd heard sirens, and saw police cars heading down the road. I realized they were headed in the direction of my neighborhood, so I ran home to see. When I got there, my whole street was under attack, but, due to the expert police and rangers on the site, everyone was led to a safe zone to wait it out.

"As soon as I approached the battlefield," I told her, "a Ranger stopped me, and told me to crouch behind a police car, near a sort of barricade they'd made in order to stop the attack from progressing. I followed his instruction, and sat next to it, but I was more interested than scared by the sounds of gunshots and zapperfire. The Ranger had told me that I would be safe from harm there, and ran off to help in another area. However, the instant the Ranger was gone, I turned around—and right there, in the supposed 'safe spot' was a robot. Now, I wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation, so I did the only thing I could think to do: I let out the fiercest battle cry my twelve-year-old self could muster, and tackled the android to the ground, smashing it to bits on contact."

"Jour first kill!" she exclaimed, as we both began to laugh a bit.

"I destroyed it completely," I said, not bothering to hide my pride.

Taz grinned. "And den jou got hooked?"

I nodded contently, and leaned back in my seat. "I knew it was what I wanted to do."

"So you became Captain Up, Professional Robot Smasher," she said, smiling at the title.

"Professional Robot Smasher," I agreed.

"And I still don' get a first name, Captain Up?" she taunted.

I shook my head, and was about to reply, when a _bing_ began to sound on my communicator. I pressed the _receive call_ and signaled for Taz to be quiet.

"_Up, it's Tyler," _said the communicator. Tyler was a worker in the offices. He worked the late night shift, just in case any emergency cases were brought into the Academy. _"A Starship Commander is here. Says he wants to see you."_

Immediately, I sat up in my chair, even though nobody was around to critique my posture. "Is it Commander Grenner?"

I was disappointed. _"No, sorry, Bro. Grenner's not working for the G.L.E.E. anymore. Nah, this is Commander Marx. He's taken over for old Gren."_

I could tell that the look on my face changed to somber in hearing that. Marx was Commander Grenner's Lieutenant while I was working on the Starship. He and I had never seen eye-to-eye. He had even taken the side of those accusing me in my trial, and neither of us had forgotten that. But what really shook me was that Grenner was gone. He'd not been that old when I worked under his command, and he'd been the one who convinced the sentence to be labor on Earth, as opposed to termination of life. Marx was not somebody I wanted to see in the middle of the night.

I shook my head and said, "Well, send him in."

"Who's Commander Marx?" Taz asked. I'd almost forgotten she was there.

I didn't answer, but said, "Quick, hide inside that cabinet. It's late, and I'm not exactly supposed to have students in my office after hours." She only objected a little, but was safely out of sight the moment Marx strode through the door.

"Captain Up!" he said, grinning broadly as he sat down in the chair across my desk. He leaned back and propped his hands up. "Haven't seen you in years!"

I did my best to behave as I replied, "Likewise, Marx."

"Been good then?" he asked, smiling as though he ruled the world. "I'm visiting the Academy for a couple of days, just got in, figured I'd take care of some business first chance I'd get!"

"Why are you here, Commander?" I would not put up with any of his crap this time. He was in _my _office, not _his_. "Just get out with it."

That wiped the smile off his face for sure. He sat up straight, and produced a paper, which he then read from. "Ahem! _The members of the Personnel Management Board, as directed by the Public Relations department of the Galactic League of Extraterrestrial Exploration, after an observation period of six months, have accepted the appeal concerning the redemption of Captain Up at the Starship Academy._" He looked back up at me expectantly.

But his words took a moment to click in my brain. "You don't mean…"

Marx nodded. "The judge has decided that the allegations that led to your dismissal were lacking evidence."

A slow grin began to spread across my face. "Well that meant that I can…"

"I've been recruiting for a new mission, Captain Up. And it would be an honor for you to join my squadron." That, I knew, was Commander Marx's way of letting me know that he was sorry. Even though he didn't say it out loud, I know he regretted testifying against me all those years ago.

I accepted his offer, and, after thanking me profusely, I saw him to the door, a stupid smile permanently pinned to my face. He'd just told me that my trial was officially over. My name was cleared, and I could work in space again. I could live out my dream once more.

"Oh, and Up," he said on his way out. "You better get that girl out of your cabinet before morning." After seeing the shocked look on my face, he laughed. "You thought I wouldn't notice? I'm a Commander, Up. I notice everything. But don't worry," he said, winking, "I won't tell anyone."

As soon as he was gone, Taz emerged, and tackled me into a hug. In that moment, we were both high of the ecstasy of it all. Me, for my success and the good news, her for the excitement of hiding in a closet and listening to a secret conversation. We were both smiling like goons, but neither of us cared.

"I'm going back to space, Taz!" I said, unashamed of how excited I sounded, "I'm going to be a Starship Ranger again."

"Jou did it, Up!" She looked up at me with those big, bright eyes, and hugged me again. The euphoria in the room was reaching its maximum, when Taz did the best and worst thing she could have possibly done: She kissed me.

Or, rather we kissed each other, because I was leaning down to her the same time she was reaching up for me. For a moment, however, we both just… kissed. Her fingers twined in my hair, my arms wrapped around her body, our hearts racing, emotions on high—it was a fantastic moment, and a rather good kiss. I'll admit that I liked it more than I should have. After a moment, however, we both remembered who we were. And that it was completely inappropriate for her to be in my office, much less kissing me, when I was her training captain and her, my pupil. It was practically illegal, after all! I could have screamed at myself for allowing things to get that far. But we handled things well. We broke apart and she stepped back, our smiles faltering slightly, but no less genuine.

"_Felicidades_, Captain Up." She saluted me playfully, and I saluted her back. I dismissed her from my office a moment later, telling her, perhaps a bit too sternly, but she didn't seem to notice, to get back to her room. I didn't have to tell her not to say anything about that last moment, because I knew she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut. And I knew that she was well aware of the fact that our relationship had to remain platonic. That shouldn't have been a surprise to either of us. But, in the excitement of the moment, the kiss seemed like a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Heart still racing from all the excitement, I plopped myself back into my desk and let the realization sink in. I was going back. Back into space. I was going to be what I've always wanted to be, a real live Starship Ranger. And Taz was going to continue excelling there at the school. It was then that I realized that I would miss her. Kiss or no kiss, she was still Taz Lopez, Miss Tasia, that scrawny fifteen year old who grew into the toughest trainee at the entire Academy. And it was then that I realized that I didn't want to leave her behind at all.


	9. Testing

**This is another chapter from Up's point of view. Please tell me how you like it, or if you like Taz's stuff better. Should I do more from Up's POV, or continue just with Taz? Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

"Come on, Marx. Why not?" The tone in my voice wasn't whining, or begging. I was challenging. The Commander couldn't resist a challenge; that was one thing I knew.

Commander Marx and I were walking along the view window of another indoor training gym. Inside the gym, were twenty or so trainees standing around a circle, watching one of them take on a training droid, a simple robot that, thanks to a strong inhibitor chip, couldn't produce any form of thought or speech, but could whip out a good fight for training. They were dumb things, but they were strong, and usually it took two first-year trainees to take one down. But, inside the gym, everyone was watching one little Hispanic girl fight one-on-one.

Marx's eyes were still on the battle inside when he responded. "She's too young. Not prepared."

"She was just barely fifteen the first time she took on robots, if you'll remember," I reminded him.

He nodded. "Yes, I recall. We've had her on file for a long time." He shook his head still. "But it's simply out of the question. She's not ready to go."

Inside the room, the spectators had exploded into awed cheering as the girl leapt onto the droid's back, and ripped off its head piece. It smashed into the ground, and its headlights flickered off.

"Taz just took down an attack droid single handedly. How can that not be ready?"

"Captain Up," Commander Marx said. "It's a miracle you've earned a spot on this squad as it is. Now you're asking me to bring along a rookie teenager with less than a year's training, simply because you think she's tough enough? Usually, we'll grant early graduation to worthy trainees after two years of training as opposed to the full three year course. But she," he nodded in her direction, before turning to lean on the window sill, facing away from the gym, "has had barely four months."

I looked him square in the eye. "You've talked to the other Captains, Commander. Everyone knows what she's capable of. What are you so scared of? The wars here on Earth are going to continue—But what we need is a strong ranger base in the outlying planets. She can give us that. Just give her a chance. Send her up for a mission."

He was silent for a moment, and then said, "Rangers aren't just robot killers. They have to be ambassadors for mankind. They have to be diplomatic—"

"Yesterday she talked down a protesting group of Sympathizers who had gathered out in front of the Academy," I told him, "and they disbanded without a drop of blood spilt."

He shrugged. "A pity about that."

"Well," I said, not agreeing or disagreeing.

Inside the gym, another practice droid was brought out, and this time, Taz was partnered with another trainee to take it down. The other one, a blonde boy with disgusting burns up his arm, took the form of a sort of bait, letting the robot follow it around, while Taz attacked it from behind. It only took a few moments for this one to go down in a rain of sparks and more cheering.

"Alright," Marx said after some time. "How's this. She'll get a test. There's an early graduation test given to those who show promise. But since people usually don't pass it, we don't offer it very generously. But, if Taz is as deserving as you say she is, then fine. She'll have her test. If she passes, then she's ready and can accompany the team. If not, then she will complete her time at the Academy like any normal Starship Ranger."

"She'll pass, Commander Marx." I said, thrilled that I'd gotten Taz a chance. " I know she'll pass."

* * *

"I can't believe I didn't pass," Taz said, leaning up against the wall of my office, practice test in hand. It was only a few days until her assessment, and, while she had the physical aspects down pat, she was disastrously trailing the academic ones.

"Let's see how the damage is." I took her practice test and looked over the results. She seemed to be doing fine in most of the academics. Not very well, but enough to pass above average. However her math grade was next to zero. It seemed she just could not grasp any of it.

"I hate calculus," she said. Her accent got more noticeable when she was angry, I'd noticed. And she was pretty frustrated. "Jou know I won't pass, and this will all have been for nothing."

"Judging by this test," I said, "You don't even know the first thing about calculus. Have you been showing up for class at all?"

She wouldn't meet my gaze when she responded, "I… might have missed a class or two." I sighed, and stifled a laugh. She looked up, and began to laugh too.

I picked up a pencil, and began to explain the first question she missed. She nodded, and said she understood. I raised an eyebrow, and she blushed, and asked me to repeat it again. Well, commanded is more like it. _Good Old Miss Tasia, getting angry over math_. Poor thing, just couldn't understand it.

"Listen, Taz," I said, frustrated at the pace I had to slow down to in order for her to follow. "I want you to pass. You need to. You're better than the people here, and you should be working in the field already."

"Jes, I know." _Modest as ever._

I rubbed at my eyes, and said, "How about, in addition to our extra practice sessions, I tutor you as well?"

"Jou'd teach me calculus?" she asked, as if she couldn't quite understand the concept.

I nodded. "Anything to see you as a real working Starship Ranger."

* * *

From then on in, I'd help her with combat training, followed by a tutoring session in my office, leading up to her test. Sure, we would have to study late into the night, well after time we should both be sleeping, but it made me grin to see the progress she was making when she simply applied herself. The exhaustion was all worth the prize, especially when Taz's test results came in from the testing office. I didn't tell Taz, though, when I got the results. I took them straight to the Commander.

I took her folder and marched through the campus to the dining hall. Commander Marx was eating lunch when I found him, at the table with other Captains and Professors and other staff. I threw the folder down in front of him, and he looked up at me, surprised. He opened it up, and read the results.

"Well then," he said, almost begrudgingly, but overall pleased. "Looks like there will be a new Starship Ranger joining us on our mission."


	10. Almost There

**Hey so this is from Taz's POV. And, while I have your attention... Don't forget to review. :D**

* * *

A week later, I woke up long before my alarm was to go off, eimply because I didn't want to sleep anymore. Things don't happen when people are asleep, they happen when people are awake! So, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to get in one last workout in the Academy Gym. I almost expected to see Up there, but he must have been able to sleep better than me, because, when I saw him later that morning, he looked refreshed and full of energy.

He was waiting by the car, loading his belongings into the back. Commander Marx and the other private who was joining, a cadet in his third year at the academy, Lars Terrison, were further up the road loading up their car. My things were already packed, as I'd been the first one to get to the cars that morning. I'd gone back inside to check if I left anything behind and to say goodbye to my friends, and when I'd gone back out, we were almost ready to depart. I was surprised at how fast my heart was racing.

"Taz!" I looked to see Lars coming up to me from his car. "I heard you're coming with us."

I nodded. Lars had this curly blond hair that he always had to cut short for the Academy, so it was like a ridiculous garden of curls on his head when it'd grown out. He also had these ridiculous burns up and down his arms, from when he and his brother were caught in a robot attack when they were in high school. They had to raise a burning roof off of their basement in order for the ones taking refuge down there to get out safely, and both boys suffered from it. They both also were instilled with a need to continue the fight against robots, like so many others at the Academy. Lars's brother was a friend of mine, in my year in school, but Lars had known me too. I was glad he'd been granted early graduation as well.

We chatted for a couple of minutes, until Commander Marx ordered for us to load up and move out. Not wanting to anger our Commander before we even worked for him, we quickly made our ways to our cars. I slid in next to Up, and the door slammed shut, closing out the cheers from those who'd gathered to watch us depart. I looked at him, not sure of what to say. So I just grinned giddily at him.

"Congratulations, Private Taz Lopez," he said, too diplomatically.

"And to you," I replied. "How do you feel to be going back?"

He stared straight ahead, a smile creeping onto his face in spite of himself. "I feel… Excited. But nervous. I doubt anyone will have forgotten the past experience I'd had here. But it's a whole new game now."

"What's our mission going to be?" I asked.

"I'm not sure of the specifics, but it'll probably be something in District Alpha-7."

"That'll be… Either Mine Planet, Fishing Planet, or Farm Planet, then?" Alpha-7 was the district of colonized planets that was used for gaining materials. Small planets, but very useful. And, since each had come with only minimal native species, they were easy for humans to colonize.

"It'll be good to see what trouble they've come up with."

I agreed, and the driver interrupted us to let us know that it would be a long drive to the base. There was a dvd player in the back, so Up popped in a movie, some action thriller about mutant octopuses, and soon we were both engrossed in the film.

About halfway through, however, I noticed something in Up's lap. A folder, with some papers inside it. One paper stuck out slightly, and showed a few words. By the looks of it, it looked like registration forms. A thought came to mind, then an idea, then a plan. Eying the folder, I slowly reached a hand to grab it. He noticed it a second too late, because the folder was sitting on the other side of me an instant later.

"What the hell are you doing, Taz?" he cried, clearly confused.

I didn't answer, but began to rifle through the papers. Sure enough, they were filled with registration data. The papers on top, however, were all filled out with my name. I checked the spaces, and, sure enough, it had a full version, Tasia Lopez. I pulled out my papers, and looked for Up's. That was when he realized my plan.

"Taz—no!" He reached for the papers, but I turned my back to him, and continued to search. A second later, my eyes were scanning the words on his registration papers. I could feel a smile blooming across my face.

"Brocious?" I said, beaming at the uncovered truth. "Your name is Brocious?"

He shoved me aside, and grabbed the folder back from me. I pursed my lips to keep from laughing. "Hey—It's not funny! I'm named after the General Stagiford Brocious, the war hero from the first robot war. He was a _hero_, Taz—."

"Yes," I said, "But his name was ridiculous!" I laughed, and turned his full name over in my mouth. "Brocious Ryker Up. A proper Mobile Gentleman's name, I guess."

"Hey," he defended, "It's better than my sister's name."

"What's she called?"

He smirked a bit, as he replied. "She was called 'Fancy Ray.'"

We rode the rest of the trip in contemplative laughter, talking of nothing at all and everything in the world at the same time. A couple of times we remembered there was a movie playing, but it just wasn't that important to us.

* * *

Like a monument, or a shrine, or a temple, or a treasure of some sort, there it stood. The Starship 11-Z-1, brand new and ready for departure. It was a sight to see, like a great big skyscraper of a box, standing on four legs. The legs housed rocket fuel that would propel the giant cube into space. I couldn't wait to get on to see what it looked like, and, by the look on Brocious Up's face, he was eager too.

I was introduced to the rest of our squad, including Commander Marx's second officer, Lieutenant Rosemary Piper, who was much tougher-looking than her name suggested. We were signed in and registered, and then ushered to load onto the starship. But I couldn't see the main interior yet. We had to get into the launch hall. The launch hall was at the very bottom of the starship, and it was a collection of, simple corridors, lines with chairs, designed for everyone aboard to lift off in, before settling into the actual starship, in order to have a safer and more successful takeoff.

Once I was seated, in between Up and a Starship Ambassador, Up said, "This is the greatest thing, Taz. Liftoff is so much fun."

We were strapped in by a million different straps, to ensure we didn't fly out during the thunderous takeoff sequence. "Fun? How so?"

But he didn't need to answer. A minute later, the engines started, and I understood. After the countdown, the spaceship shot up off the ground in a rush of exhilaration. It was like a rollercoaster that went up, but felt like going down. Plus, the entire thing was spinning. The starship was spinning in fast circles, so that, from the outside, it would look more like a cylinder than a box. I craned my head around to look at Up, and he was laughing a booming sort of thrilled laugh. So I laughed too.

After a few moments of this rush, a voice came out on the intercom, saying, "Attention all passengers, we will be leaving the atmosphere shortly. The ride's all smooth from here on out." Which was greeted by the applause from the Starship's passengers.

The instant the intercom fizzled out, however, something changed. In addition to the spinning, the ship began to twist. Up and back, it wobbled in mid air. It was more terrifying than fun, but most passengers were still amused with the fun of it. But just as the wobbling began, so did the bumps and halts. It seemed almost as though the entire spaceship would stall a moment, before shooting up again, and then stopping for a moment, then continuing. The motion was jolting and rough, but still, there was no indication, not by staff, nor ranger, nor colonist, that anything was wrong. They were still laughing and smiling, and I would have been laughing along with them, if I hadn't seen the look on Up's face.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Something's wrong," he replied, gravely.

A moment later, the engines stopped rumbling, the lights all shut out, plunging the spaceship into icy darkness, and a horrible sensation filled my stomach as the realization set in. The liftoff had been sabotaged somehow, and we were falling right out of the sky.

Starship 11-Z-1 was crashing.


	11. Impact

Immediately, the laughs stopped, and the civilians began to scream. Up, however, knew action needed to be taken. Instead of struggling to unclip himself, he simply used the shaking of the starship to help him rip apart his seatbelts, then he turned to me and freed me as well, standing up, I began to free others, not sure why. But it was soon impossible to stand, with the shaking and rolling of the starship growing as it sailed back to the planet below.

The chaos was suffocating, as some people screamed for help, and others just ran haywire. Someone made the effort to order everyone to go to a drop pod, or an impact chamber, but that only added to the disaster, as people were scrambling to be the first to get to the safety of a drop pod.

"Private Lopez!" I turned, and saw Lieutenant Piper coming towards me, with other Starship Rangers. Up and Marx were busy freeing colonists who were too weak or scared to free themselves. "Help the civilians, thin get yourself to an impact chamber!"

I nodded at the order, but had no time to act on it. The Starship entered a new state of free fall, in which there was no orientation to the way it was tumbling though the air. I was thrown against the wall, or maybe it was the ceiling, or maybe it was the floor. There was no way of knowing. Even the emergency lights began to flicker, each flash of red showing a new disastrous scene.

After a few seconds of smashing against the walls and trying to stand back up, I collided with a person. I clung onto whoever it was, and, when at last I could see his face, I was relieved that it was Up.

"Impact… Chamber!" he struggled to yell over the chaos. He tried to point down the hallway, and I could just make out a thin door with a green light shining out of it. Together, we half climbed, half walked, half flew to it, helping civilians we found along the way. When we reached it, miraculous as it was, we helped as many people inside as we could.

"Get inside, Taz!" he ordered, shouting over the screams from inside the crowded impact chamber.

"What about you?" I called back.

"I've got to make sure everyone's safe."

He couldn't be serious. It was life and death now, only someone particularly foolish would still take honor over instinct. Or someone particularly brave. Or someone like Up.

"Wait for me, Taz. I'll be right back!" Then he was gone. I couldn't even protest, or beg him to come to safety. He was just gone. Off to try to save others, probably knowing it was futile anyways. I called out to him, but he either didn't hear me, or simply ignored it. Then the Starship shook once more and I was thrown back into the Impact Chamber and into pure darkness.

* * *

I blinked my eyes open to a red light, and, for a moment, I thought I was in the crashing starship. But, looking around, I found myself in a sick bay. The walls were brown and dirty, and there were no windows, so I assumed it to be some sort of underground room.

"She's awake," I heard a voice said. The lights blurred around me, and I shut my eyes, as several people came towards my bed where I lay.

"Tasia?" another voice said.

I gritted my teeth, instantly annoyed for some reason, and huffed, "What?"

Someone laughed. "Just like her to wake up in a bad mood." My heart beat quickened, because I thought it was Up, but, when I opened my eyes, he wasn't there. Instead, it was Lars. The scars on his arms had new friends, it seemed; his face was burned and battered anew.

The two others at my bedside were a doctor and his assistant. The doctor said, "You've been out for a few days. Do you remember?" His voice was gentle, and I really hated that.

"Yes, I—"

"You fell from the outer layers of the atmosphere inside a burning Ship, completely unprotected for most of it. When we found you, you were outside of the impact chamber for some reason. We thought you were dead. Even most of those in the impact chambers. They're only good for a certain height. Somehow, though, you didn't burn up in the sky or bleed out upon impact. And you stabilized right as we got you into the hospital. Yup, Tasia, I'd say you're lucky to be alive. Luckiest girl I've ever met." Only then did I notice that I was actually in pain. All over, I was noticing new parts where I was injured or hurting.

"So tell me what's happened." It didn't seem like a good time to show weakness.

"The Starship you were on crashed," the assistant said.

"No duh,_ idiota_," I spat at her, "I mean why am I here. This isn't exactly an ordinary hospital."

"Nothing gets by you, Taz" Lars commented. I was angry that he was saying that, instead of Up. It should have been Up. Why was Up not there?

But the doctor continued, cutting through my thoughts with a real explanation. "The crashed starship was only part of a bigger plan by the robot confederacy. The entire country's fallen into chaos. Most bases are either destroyed or in a state of siege, so we've had to create new underground ones, to keep everyone safe."

I let the new sink in, and picked my words carefully. "So it's a war, then? A second Robot War?"

"I'm afraid so, Miss Tasia," the doctor confirmed, using the name that was on his clipboard, my legal name. The name reminded me to ask.

"Where's Up?" _Please don't say he died… He wasn't in the Impact Chamber at all._

The doctor looked at the assistant, who looked at Lars who looked at me. He backed on his feet a little, cleared his throat, and looked expectantly at the doctor. He sighed, and said sickeningly gently, "Captain Up is missing. No one could find him after the crash."

Even though I could hear the words perfectly clear, they seemed to bounce around in my head before clicking into reality. And I don't remember what happened after that, only that I managed to successfully block out everything that the three were saying to me, because, after a few more moments, they all left, and I was alone to lie and heal and think about Up, who was missing. Even though "missing" was almost always code for "dead." But I wouldn't allow myself to believe that. I kept that vacant truth on the very edge of my mind. Up was not dead, I told myself. He was out there. I just had to find him.

* * *

**Okay, so I've decided to split this story up into chunks. This marks the end of Book One. Book Two will come shortly, and there'll be a link on this once it's up. Thanks for your support! :)**


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